Secretary of State Jon Husted suspended two election officials on Friday in southwest Ohio after they approved a measure to extend early voting hours beyond the uniform, statewide hours he set this week.

The move by Husted, the state's chief elections official, is the latest in a series of flare-ups over when Ohioans can cast an early ballot in person in the presidential battleground state. The issue has essentially broken down along political party lines.

Husted, a Republican, sent a letter late Friday to Democrats Thomas Ritchie Sr. and Dennis Lieberman, telling them they failed to act consistently with his directive.

"You therefore leave me no choice but to begin the process necessary to remove you as members of the Montgomery County Board of Elections," he said.

Husted instructed Ritchie and Lieberman to appear at his office Monday for a hearing on why they shouldn't be removed from the board.

Husted ordered all 88 county election boards on Wednesday to have the same early voting hours on weekdays and to close on weekends and he set that voting schedule.

Ohio is one of 32 states, plus the District of Columbia, that allow voters to cast an early ballot by mail or in person without having to give a reason.

Prior to his directive, local election boards made up of two Republicans and two Democrats were setting their own early, in-person voting hours. Weekend and evening hours varied among the counties. In his role as chief elections official, Husted breaks any ties.

Lieberman made a motion at the board's meeting Friday to uphold Husted's directive and extend voting hours into Saturdays and Sundays. He and Ritchie voted in favor of the extra hours, and the two GOP members opposed the motion.

That sent the matter to Husted to break the tie. He said Friday he backed the hours laid out by his directive.